"But it is in your head, isn't it, sir?" said Mr. Hodgson.
"Yes," said Burke, "something of the sort. I don't mind saying that to you."
"And I will also say to you," replied the young clergyman, "that we talked it over last night, and we all agreed that the actions of the _Dunkery Beacon_ are very suspicious. It does not seem at all unlikely that the great treasure she carries has been too much of a temptation for the Captain, and that she is trying to get away with it."
"Of course, I don't know anything about that Captain," said Burke, "or what he is after, but I'm pretty sure that he won't dare to do anything to Shirley as long as I keep him in sight. And now I'm going to bear down on him again to hail him!"
The _Summer Shelter_ bore down upon the other steamer, and her Captain hailed and hailed for half an hour, but no answer came from the _Dunkery Beacon_.
Willy Croup was so troubled by what had happened, and even more by what was not happening,--for she could not see any good which might come out of this persistent following of the one vessel by the other,--that her nerves disordered and tangled themselves to such a degree that she was scarcely able to cook.
But Mrs. Cliff kept up a strong heart. She felt that a great deal depended upon her. At any moment an emergency might arise when she would be called upon, as owner of the yacht, to decide what should be done. She hoped very earnestly that if the Captain of the _Dunkery Beacon_ saw that the _Summer Shelter_ was determined to follow him wherever he went, and whatever he might do, he would at last get tired of being nagged in that way, and consent to give up Mr. Shirley.
About eight o'clock in the morning, all belief in the minds of the men on board the yacht that the _Dunkery Beacon_ intended to sail to Rio Janeiro entirely disappeared, for that steamer changed her course to one considerably north of east. A little after that a steamer was seen on the horizon to the north, and she was bearing southward. In the course of half an hour it seemed as if this new steamer was not only likely to run across the course of the _Dunkery Beacon_, but was trying to do it.
"Captain," exclaimed Mrs. Cliff, grasping Burke by the arm, "don't you think it looks very much as if that Captain Hagar was trying to run away with the treasure which has been entrusted to him?"